Automatic liquid measuring and delivering apparatus



5 Sheets-Sheet l Hand BOUA'! H0 |NVENTOR;

lAp'rxl 18, 1933.` H. BouTlLLoN AUTOMATIC LIQUID MEASURING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 26

H. BOUTILLON Filed Dec. 26, 1929 AUTOMAT I C LI QUID MEASUR I NG AND DELIVERING APPARATU S April 18, 1933.

April S, 1933. H. BouTlLLoN 1,904,610

AUTOMATC LIQUID MEASURING AND DELIVERING' APPARATUS I Filed Deo. 26, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Figc? Herwi. BOU-Muon INVENTOR:

L Attorne) Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED Y STATES- HENRI BOUTILLON, OF SUl'lllilSNES,v FRANCE AUTOMATIC LIQUID MEASURING .AND DELIVERING APILARATI'J'Sl Application filed December 26, 1929, Serial No. 416,375, and in Franceruly 16, 1929'.

Automatic apparatus for supplying a measured amount of liquid are in current use, and such apparatus usually comprise two vessels of standard capacity which are conneet-ed together and also with inlet and discharoe piping by means of a cock or slide valve which is automatically actuated by the liquid in such a manner that one vessel is filled while the other is emptied, and inversely.

The present invention relates to an automatic apparatus for the measured and recorded supply of liquids, in which the several parts are so arranged that the apparatus may.

be easily constructed, and that it will afford an exact delivery of liquid in spiteof all improper operation whether voluntary or involuntary.

According to one feature of the invention, the device for feeding the liquid and for reversing the action of the two measuring vessels consists of a pair of cylindrical slide valves in vertical position, which valves are mounted below the respective vessels and are connected together by a rocking lever in such manner that one valve will rise while the other descends, and inversely, so that the device will pass through the dead centre by the action of the weight of the liquid in the said vessels.

According to another feature of the invention, the apparatus comprises elastic packing members consisting of pressed leather or other material which assure leakless conditions for the said slide valves, and these latter are provided with special devices such as rings or the like by which the edges of the said packing members will be enabled to clear the openings in the valves without entering the same.

The apparatus preferably comprises a hydraulic fastening` device which prevents the functioning of the said feeding elementv when the one of the measuring vessels is not completely emptied.

According to the invention, the said rocking lever connecting the two feeding pistons actuates an auxiliary piston in a cylinder containing liquid which has a single orifice controlled by a needle valve secured to a float situated in the liquid which is being discharged, and this constitutes a fastening de vice which prevents the functioning of the feeding and reversing device when the measuring vessel is not entirely emptied.4

Further characteristicsA of the invention will be specified in the vfollowing description.

' In the accompanying drawings, which areA given ysolely by way of example:

Fig. l. is a vertical section of an apparatus G0.. according `to the invention, on the line 1l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.V Fig. 3 is a view on a larger scalevshowing the feeding and reversing device represented 65; in Fig. l. y i

Fig. 4 is a detailY view showing the method of attaching the feeding device, this being a section on the line` 4 4 of Fig. l.` Fig. 5 is a section of the pump according 70..; to the line 5-5 of Fig. l. v

The apparatus for the supply of liquids; as herein represented comprises inthe usual manner two vessels of standard capacity 1 and 2, which will be designated as measuring 75.'. vessels in the description. The said vesselsv are closed at the top by caps 3 4. In the. cap 3 is a clack valve 5 which may be applied upon its seat 6 by a float 7. Theecap 4 containsidentical parts which are not shown in SG;- the drawings. u

The measuring vessels 1-2 rest upon a. base plate 8'. The vessel 1 is secured to said plate by a central tube 9 which is fixed at its upperI part tothe cap.; 3 and at its lower part to a 8512 spider 10, bolted to saidl plate 8. A bolt 11: Y is screwed into the spider 10 for thisjpurpose.- A tube and spider of like construction serve to secure the vessel 2 to the base plate :8.

A member 12 is tightly `fitted below the base 99.-; plate 8 and it has two cylindrical bores whereof one 13 is situated below the vessel l and the other 14, below the vesselA 2. rllhe member.

v12 can be secured to the baseplate 8 in the f following manner. A bolt l5 (Figs. 2 and `4) 9,5 is screwed into the base plate 8 and urges t0-` wards thelatter the Aends of two-collarsv 16,. each of which surrounds one of the boresy 13-'-14 0f the member 12. i Y

The left-hand` collar surroundingthe bore 109,1

23-24 to a rocking lever 21 which is pivoted In the member l2 is an annular chamber 25 containing two elastic packing members 26-27 having an L-section, and these are held against the walls of the piston 19 by springs 28 and 29. Around the piston 20 is an annular chamber 3() containing packing members and springs in like arrangement.

The piston 19 comprises an annular aperture 31, whose height is approximately equal to the vertical stroke of the piston, and in said aperture is slidable by easy frictionl a ring 32 whose outer diameter is exactly equal to that of the piston 19, so that the said ring continues the external surface of the piston 19. The height of the ring 32 is about equal to one-half the height of the aperture 31. The piston 20 also comprises an aperture and a ring having an identical arrangement.

The chambers 25-30 communicate freely with 'a' conduit 33 formed in the base plate 8 and serving for the admission of the liquid supplied by the pump, as will be further specified.

The rocking lever 21 connecting the two pistons is provided with an appendage 34 having the form of a toothed sector and engaging a pinion which is formed on a shaft 36. A lever 37 apertured at 37'd for the insertion of the axle 22 is keyed to the shaft 36 and at its lower 'end is disposed a cam 38; at each oscillation of the lever 37, the said cam drives back a roller 39 mounted on a pushpiece 40, against a spring 41 which urges the said push-piece upwardly. y

The push-piece 40 carries a piston 64, preferably provided with elastic packing, which is slidable in a cylinder 65, pierced with an aperture 66 controlled by a. needle valve 67 under the action of a spring 68. A lever 69 pivoted at and provided with a. float 71 is connected to the needle valve in such manner that the said valve will open when the float descends and will close when the iioat rises.

The device consisting of the member 12, the pistons 19-*20, the rocking arm 21 and its accessories, form a combination which can be removed and replaced by unscrewing the single bolt 15, without otherwise interfering with the apparatus. The said device is contained in a case 42 provided with a cover 4'3 and serving to contain the liquid expelled from the said measuring vessels by the pistons 19-20. The bottom of said case is inclined in order that the liquid will How towards the outlet 45. For this reason, the case 42 will be designated as the discharge case.

The said discharge case, which has preferably a rectangular external form, comprises a conduit 46 (Fig. 2) in line with the conduit 33 of the base plate 8; at its lower end is a clock valve 47 preventing the return of the liquid towards the pump in the case of a defective operation of the pump valves.

The said discharge case rests upon and is secured to another case 48, preferably of rectangular form, which is divided into two parts 48-48b by a vertical partition 49 (Fig. 2) herein a conduit 50l is in line with the conduit 46 of the discharge case 42, and it leads to a valve 51 urged on its sea-t by a spring 52. A push-piece 53 is adapted to open the said valve, as will be further specified. The conduit 50 is situated in the rear chamber 48a of the case 48, and is connected therewith only by the valve 51.

The rear chamber 48a communicates free-v ly with the discharge conduit 54 of the pump by two conduits 55-56 (Figs. 1 and 3) formed along its inner walls and having abrupt changes of direction furthering the separation of the air from the liquid by the.

action of centrifugal'inertiaand by compression and expansion caused by such changes of'direction. In the said rear chamber 48a is disposed a tube 57 to which is secured a collar 58 carrying a journal 59 to which is pivoted a lever 60 provided with a float 61 at its outer end. The other end of the lever 60 is connected to a cap 62 mounted on the end of the tubes 57 and freely slidable on the same. Apertures 63v are formed at the upper part of said cap 62 near its closed end, which closes the upper end of the tube 57 when the said cap is lowered.

The front chamber 481 of the case 48 is closed by the meter device 72, known per se, which may be of a type operating by the preliminary recording of the desired quantity by pushing in a button 73, and this movement opens the valve 51 by means of a push-rod 53.

Below the case 48 is the pumpsupplying the apparatus, which is contained in a main frame of rectangular shape. Said pump comprises two horizontal coaxialcylinders 74-75 cooperating with respective pistons 76-7 7 mounted on a common piston rod 7 8 carrying a guide 79 in which is movable a slider 80. A crank controls the said slider by means of a crank pin 82, said crank beingt actuated by a handle 83 at the outside of the apparatus.

' Below the cylinders 744-75 isprovided aY Vchamber 84 (Figs. 2 and 5) which opens to the exterior by an orifice 85 to lwhich the suction tube is coupled. v

VA valve. 86 opens from the chamber 84 towards the piston 76 and a valve 87 opens Il O 50 tures 63 of the said cap 62.

" It is observed that the two pistons operate by their outer face, in cooperation with the suction valves 86-87 and the ldelivery valves 88-89, in order to withdraw the liquid from the pipe connected with the orifice 85 and to discharge it through the conduit 54, the valve 51 and the conduit 50, to the feeding device and the measuring vessels.

The space between the'inner faces of the pistons 7 6-77 is divided into two chambers 90-91 by a partition 92 through which is slidable the vpiston rod 78. Two suction valves 93-94 open into the respective chambers 90 and 91; said valves open downwardly, and they communicate with the front chamber 48b of the case 48 which also communicates (Fig. 1) with the tube 57 evacuating the air charged with the vapour of the liquid.

Two discharge valves 95 and 96 open into the respective chambers 90 and 91; said valves open downwardly, and both communicate with aclosed chamber 97 which is connected by a pipe 98 with the top of the two measuring vessels 1 2, and for this purpose the said pipe comprises two branches,

each lea-ding to a vessel.

By means of their two internal faces operating in the chambers 90-91, the two pistons 76-77 form a single-acting air pump, thus '635' withdrawing air from the front chamber 48b of the case 48 and discharging it through the chamber 97 and the pipe 98 to the top of the measuring vessels 1 2.

The operation of the said apparatus is as follows.

The valve 51 is supposed to be open, since the valve rod 53 has been pushed back by pressing the button 73 of the meter 72. If

the operator turns the pump handle 83, the

' pump discharges liquid through the conduit `54 and the rconduits 55-56, into the rear chamber 48a of the case 48. The Vair escapes from this chamber through the `tube 57, and passes through the aper- When the level of the liquid attains the float 61, the latter rises and the cap 62 descends, thus closing the tube 57. The pressure thus increases in the rear chamber 48a, and the 55 liquid then circulates through the open valve 51 into the conduit 50, it lifts the valve 47 and flows through the conduits 46 and 33, also through the annular chamber 25 and the hollow interior of the piston 19, and thence into the measuring vessel 1 which is thus gradually filled.

During this time, the air driven forward by the rise of the liquid escapes through the Aorifice 6 and proceeds through the pipe 98 into the measuring vessel 2. At the same time, the air delivered by the' pump into,` the pipe 98, as above explained, is addedv to the air expelled from the vessel-1 into the vessel- 2. The liquid contained inthe vessel-2 by reason of a previous operation will flow out through the hollow interior of thepiston 20 and thus descends into the rdischarge case 42.y Its outflow is much furthered'by the action of they air which, as above stated, attains the top of the measuring vessel 2. f v

When the measuring vessel 1 is filled, the float 7 is thus raised and it Vcloses the orifice 6'by lifting the valve 5. At this time, the vessel 1 is entirely closed, and when the pump is further operatedv it causes an increase of pressure in the measuring vessel, and thus the piston 19 is moved downward1y. The' rocking lever 21 turns on its axle 22, and the piston 2O rises. During this time, the'pinion 35 turns in the clockwise direction (Fig.` and the cam 38 is displaced to the left, thus driving down the roller 39 and attached pis-'-V ton 64 againstthe action of thel spring 41 whose upward pressure had maintained the parts in position.

ADuring this downward movement of thepiston 19, the ring'32 has remained stationary, it being maintained by the pressure of the elastic packing 27. When the upper edge of theaperture 31 of the piston-19 makes contact with the ring 32, as shown in the dotted lines of Figure 1, the outersurface of the ring 32 and the surface of the vpiston '19 will form a continuous cylindrical surface without breach of continuity. The piston 19 and the ring 32'descend together, and the ring 32 clears the upper edge of the lower elastic packing member 27, then the main body ofv the piston 19 engages in said packing member, so that the upper edge of said packing member 27 will be at no time left in space.

The .piston-19 finally assumes a position which is the same as the one occupied by the piston 20 in Figure 1; inversely, the pistonv 20 has now mounted, and it has the position occupied by the piston 19 in Figure 1.

During this simultaneous displacementfof the two pistons, the liquid in the measuring vessel 1 acts by its own weight upon the piston 19 in the direction which furthers its motion, and when the end of the cam passes through the vertical position, .the

spring 41 ceases to oppose this motion. At this time, the two pistons 19-20 have a posi-l tion in which all of the apertures areclosed; the measuring vessel 1 no longer receives the pressure of the pump, but as above stated the weight of liquid'therein will act upon the piston 19 in order to continue the. movement.4

When the end of the cam-*38 has slightly passed to the left of the vertical, the spring the measuring vessel2 is connected with the conduit 33 through which it is supplied with the liquid delivered by the pump. Y

- After the commencement of the reversing movement, the cam 38 causes the descent of the piston 64 in the cylinder 65. However, the said cylinder is constantly filled with the liquid which enters through the orifice 66 when the discharge case 42 is supplied.k with 19 liquid from either of the measuring vessels. When the measuring vessel l is entirely filled, if the vessel 2 is not entirely emptied at this time, a certain amount of liquid remains in the case 42; the iioat 71 thus rises, and the ,5% lever 69 brings the needle valve 67 upon its seat, thus closing the orifice 66. Since the liquid in the cylinder 65 is practically incoinpressible, the piston 64 will not descend and thewhole mechanism is thus held in position 39. until the discharge boX 42 is entirely emptied. The said arrangement, which. prevents the reversal of the position of the feeding' pistons as long as one of the measuring vessels which is being discharged is not entirely empty, zi@- thus assures the accurate functioning of the apparatus. l

During the functioning, if air should leak into the suction piping of the pump, the pump will deliver to the conduit 54 a mixture of air and liquid which thus proceeds through the conduits 55-56 and enters the rear chamber 48a of the case 48, and herein the air sepas rat-es from the liquid and remains above the latter, and it thus lowers the level` of the liquid; the float 6l descends and hence opens the tube A57 by raising its cap 62, and the air at once escapes through the lower end of the tube 57. The liquid vapour or drops thus entrained are at once withdrawn by the air pump which exercises suction through the valves 93-94. Obviously, the float 6l rises and thus closes the tube 57 by lowering the cap 62, as soon as the level rises in the rear chamber of the case 48.

As shown in Figures l to 2, the several parts of the apparatus consist of superposed rectangular cases 42-4-8-100, assembled by their flat edges which can be readily trimmed, and such cases can be easily mounted in position. .The exterior of the apparatus will thus off-er a smooth surface which can be readilyY cleaned and is of an attractive appearance.y The said apparatus has no external pipingv for the liquid, as all. such conduits areV cast.

in one with the superposed cases.

Obviously, the said invention is not limited to the form of construction herein described andv represented, which is given solely by way of example.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In Saliquid measuring and delivering apparatus of the type described which includes two measuring vessels, each having an outlet and an inlet opening, a liquid supplying conduit, means for forcing liquid into said supplying conduit, aliquid delivering conduit and control means responsive to an increase in the pressure. of the supplied liquidV arising upon filling up of a vessel vto alter-` nately connect .the outlet of the filled vessel with the liquid delivering conduit and the inlet of the'other vessel with the liquid sup-v plying conduit, control means forming an aggregated unit adapted to be put in place and removed as a whole,'securing means for said removable aggregated unit comprising twov vlever-like members arranged l toV press said unit in place and a single clamp with a single bolt adapted to be screwed to a fixed portion of the apparatus to press both levers onto said unit, thereby securing the latter in place. A

2, In a liquid measuring and .delivering apparatus as claimed iii'claim l', wherein said control means include two piston valves with circular cylinders, two lever-like members having each the shape of a ring, each of said rings loosely embraces one of said cylinders and is provided with diametrically-opposite projections, one of which may pivotally bear on a fixed part of the apparatus, both rings being so positionedthat the other projections are close to one anothenand clamping means adapted to simultaneously bear on both said latter named projections to apply the lever like members against said unit to press the latter in place. K 1

In a liquid measuring and delivering apparatus as claimed in claim l, wherein saidV control means include two pistonvalves with circular cylinders, two lever-like members having each the shape of a ring, each ofk said rings loosely embraces one of said cylinders and is provided with dianietrically opposite projections, one of which may pivotally bear on. a iiXed `part of the apparatus and with linife-l'ile projections substantially contained in. a diametrical plan perpendicular to the plane of the ring, said knife-like projectionsbeing adapted to pivotally engage said unit,

both rings being so positioned that the other.,

proj ecticns are close one another, and clamping means adapted tosimultaneously bear on both said latter named projections to apply' the leverylile members againstsaid unit to press the latter in place. A

In .testimonyv whereof kI have signed my name to this specification.

iiENRi BoU'riLLoN'.l

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